


Last Week In Scotland

by MelissaBosquez



Series: Mel's 700 Follower Prompt-A-Thon [2]
Category: California Solo (2012), Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Anyelle, F/M, Gen, Lachbelle - Freeform, Lachelle - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-03-29
Packaged: 2018-03-20 06:27:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3640194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelissaBosquez/pseuds/MelissaBosquez
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle only has one week left in her co-op in Scotland. Sitting in a bar one night, she comes face to face with the one thing that could make her stay, a blossoming romance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Last Week In Scotland

**Author's Note:**

  * For [unknowntrombone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowntrombone/gifts).



> This will eventually be a series of stories following Belle's last week.

Belle French sighed as she took another small sip from her drink. She had been nursing the same fruity concoction for nearly  an hour now. It was a good drink but Belle wasn’t feeling in a particularly celebratory mood, despite having finished all of her classes for the semester.

It was the final week co-op abroad and while her best friend Ruby wanted to party it up while she could, Belle was feeling resigned. She had grown attached to Scotland the last six months she had been here and began to think of it as her home. Though she was an immigrant herself, natively from Australia, she had been raised predominantly in a small, sleepy town on the coast of Maine and was not looking forward to going back. She would be happy to see her father again, of course, but there was nothing left for her in Storybrooke.

She had never felt as free as she did in Scotland when she was back home. Storybrooke was small and unchanging. The same people doing the same jobs and the same things everyday of their lives, never changing. Personal information spread like wildfire among the residents whom were also very critical of anyone that didn’t fit into one of their neat boxes of societal expectations.

Most of her life, Belle had been the fodder of a lot of gossip. First for being an immigrant from Australia and having the pitiful background of losing her mother very young. Then as she grew older and entered high school, despite being a straight A student, she did not behave like they thought she should. Instead of spending time with the “smart” kids or the “popular” kids, Belle had become best friends with Ruby Lucas, considered the town tramp quite unjustifiably.

In actual fact, Ruby had only ever had sex with one boy. When she didn’t like it and no longer wanted to be with said boy, he spread rumors about her being a slut and how she was sleeping with half of the football team. Since Ruby prefered her clothes a bit shorter and tighter than most, everyone had believed the boy, Tyler Gaston, without question and Ruby’s reputation was ruined, not that she let that stop her.

Add in the fact that Tyler Gaston had started to vigorously pursue her for the rest of high school and into college, it shouldn’t have come to a shock to anyone when she decided to study abroad for her final year of school. She was seriously thinking about pursuing a Master’s Degree just so she would have an excuse not to go back home to that toxic environment.

Alas, Ruby did not hold quite the same reservations as she did. She had drug Belle out to celebrate despite her protests and that was why Belle now found herself in the fourth pub of the evening. The only good part about it all was that with each pub they went to, the further they were getting from the center of Edinburgh and therefore the quieter the pub.

There weren’t too many people in the bar for it being a friday night. Maybe a dozen or so, half of which looked like they were regulars. As she scanned the room she laid eyes on one of the people drinking at the bar a few seats down from her. He was older, with long brown hair with flecks of gray starting to show. He had come in around the same time as she and Ruby and seemed to be nursing his drink as slowly as she was.

The man must have felt her staring because he looked up from his glass and turned his head to look at her. Belle felt embarrassed for having been caught staring but she wasn’t going to shy away now, so she offered him an apologetic smile. Brown eyes stared back at her and he offered a smile of his own. He was definitely an attractive man but Belle couldn’t help but to think that he seemed really sad about something. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes all the way and she found herself wanting to know what had made him so upset.

If Ruby was still sitting by her then she would tell Belle to go fill the vacant seat beside him and flirt to high heaven until he revealed all of his secrets but Belle was never that forward. Staring at him over her drink was about as flirtatious as she knew how to be.  

“Hey there beautiful,” a voice came from behind Belle making her jump slightly in her seat. 

She quickly turned around to find a tall man standing over her. His breath smelled heavily of alcohol and he seemed a bit unsteady on his feet though his words were surprisingly not slurred when he spoke.

“Hi,” she said politely and then turned back in her seat. She really didn’t want to deal with a drunk man trying to put the moves on her.

The man leaned against the bar beside her stool, placing one arm on the counter to better lean towards her.  “My name’s Keith, what’s yours?”

Belle sighed. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t feel much in a talking mood, Keith. I don’t mean to seem rude but I’d rather be left alone at the moment.”

“Awww, don’t be like that sweetheart. I just wanna take some time, get to know you. There’s nothing wrong with that now is there?” he asked leaning closer to her face. Belle had to pull back, the alcohol was so strong on the man’s breath, it was making her sick. He obviously didn’t know what personal space meant.

“I asked you politely to leave me alone and you keep harassing me, there IS something wrong with that.”

Keith snorted. “Harassing? I’m just trying to strike up a conversation with you. Maybe get to know you a little better. Go back to my place and get to know you without your clothes on too,” he laughed and actually had the audacity to wink at her, as if this was all just some fun game and she wasn’t entirely creeped out at the prospect of being in the same room with him, let alone somewhere private.

“You’re a pig. I’m not going to go anywhere with you so why don’t you just leave me alone?” she asked, her voice rising as the anger began to take over.

“I knew you looked like a bitch,” he said getting in her face again. He looked like he was going to say something else but then someone grabbed ahold of his leather jacket and pushed the man out of Belle’s face.

“I’m sorry, do we have a problem here?” It was the man she made eyes at a few seats down. Belle hadn’t even noticed that he had gotten up and made his way over. 

He was a small man, probably not much taller than she was, definitely tiny compared to Keith. His black t-shirt hung off of his thin frame and for a moment Belle was concerned about what would happen if Keith really got belligerent. She didn’t want to see someone get hurt. Especially this kind stranger.

Belle looked around the bar for Ruby but she was still laughing in the back corner with one of the people she had met earlier.

Keith laughed at Belle’s would be savior. “No, problem here Lachy. Was just talking to this girl. Why don’t you go back to your corner of the bar and have another drink. It’s on me,” Keith said and tossed a couple bills towards the man.

The man made no move to pick up the money but he also made no move to leave Belle’s side either.

“I think it’s about time fer you to be going. The lady is clearly not interested in a drunkard such as yourself.”

Keith laughed again. “Oh you’re one to talk. You think that she’s interested in the likes of you? An old man?”

“I don’t presume to know what the lady is interested in. At the moment it seems that she wishes to be left alone, and some asshole keeps bothering her. Leave her alone or I’ll—-”

“You’ll what?” Keith said and moved to stand directly in front of the man. He had a good five or six inches on him  but the man never flinched. “Just because you used to be some rock star for five minutes twenty years ago, doesn’t mean that I’m afraid to fight with you.”

“Well, I’m right here. Do your worst,” the man replied.

Before it could go any further the booming voice of the bartender called out from behind the bar. “Hey. Take that shite out of my bar. Keith, I suggest you get out of here before I call the coppers. You’re always starting trouble and I’m done with it.”

Keith stared Lachlan down for another moment before sniffing his nose and turning around. “That burd ain’t worth it anyways. She’s no tits but a nice ass,” Nottingham said and smacked Belle’s rear as he walked away.

Belle jumped from her seat in shock and disgust but before she could say anything, her defender had rushed, Keith and easily tackled him to the floor with the man being so off balanced to begin with.

Keith recovered fairly quickly from his fall but was met with a fist in his face instead.

The bar quickly cleared a space as the two men fought each other and Ruby finally noticed that something was wrong. Keith and the man, Lachlan, traded only a handfull of blows before the burly bartender managed to break it up.

“I fuckin’ told you to get out of my bar you bastard,” he said grabbing Keith by his jacket and forcefully pushing him towards the exit and out the door. “You fuckin’ come back here and you won’t even need to worry about the coppers!” 

Belle brought herself out of her stupor and grabbed ahold of the Lachlan’s arm and helped to pull him to his feet. She felt so bad that all of this had happened but she couldn’t help but to be grateful for this man intervening in a bad situation.

“Are you alright?” she asked as he stood up and wiped a trickle of blood from his nose but he didn’t get the chance to answer.

“Lachlan you idiot, I told you to take that shite outside my pub,” the bartender’s voice shouted though obviously with less anger than had been directed towards Belle’s attacker. “You need to go too for the night,” he said with a sigh.

“I know Charlie, I know,” he said and pulled out his wallet and laid money on the bar. “I’m sorry for all the trouble.” He turned back towards Belle like he wanted to say something to her but before he was afforded the opportunity, Ruby rushed to her side.

“Belle, I saw what happened!! Are you okay?? Did that asshole hurt you at all?” she cried as she began fussing over her, checking for any kind of injury. 

Belle watched over Ruby’s shoulder as Lachlan nodded his head towards her and made his way to the door.

“I’m fine, Ruby. That guy intervened for the most part. I should probably go thank him before he’s gone. I’ll be right back, okay?” she called over her shoulder as she pushed her friend aside and rushed out the door.

It was dark when she stepped out of the pub, just a few street lamps and the moon to light her way on the quiet street. She really hoped that she hadn’t missed him in just those short few moments. Looking up and down the street she finally spotted him, walking up the street with his hands in his pockets and she took off as best she could in her heels, without a second thought.

“Hey, wait a minute!” she called out to him.

He stopped and turned around at her voice, confusion melting away to amusement as she stumbled after him. She thought he might have even laughed when she almost lost a shoe just a few feet away from him. Belle liked when he smiled. He had seemed so sad looking in the bar but when he smiled it was like the years melted away from him and his brown eyes lit up.

“Going somewhere in a hurry?” he inquired.

Belle huffed as she finally came to stand before him and offered a shy smile. “No, well, yes actually. I didn’t get the chance to thank you properly for coming to my defense so I wanted to do that.” He watched her with his half grin still present and suddely she felt silly for having chased him over something so simple. She sighed, but smiled. “Thank you. My name is Belle by the way,” she said and extended her hand to him.

He nodded his head to her and grasped her hand. “Lachlan MacAldonich. You’re quite welcome. Nottingham is an asshole on the best of days, but while he is drinking? He’s an animal. No woman should be subjected to any of his bullshit.”

Belle laughed in agreement. “Was what he said true then?” Lachlan cocked his head to the side in question. “Were you really a rock star?”

Lachlan scoffed. “Aye, but that is a story for another night.”

Belle suddenly felt nervous as she looked down at the ground and then back to Lachlan’s face. “Would you like to tell it to me? Another night? Perhaps tomorrow?” she said and she could feel her face flushing.

She hadn’t come out here with the intention on asking this stranger out but he seemed sweet and he had saved her from that asshole Keith so he couldn’t be some crazy serial killer could he?

Lachlan’s face was scrunched up in confusion again at her question. Perhaps even a little disbelief. “You’re asking me out on a date?” he questioned cautiously and Belle shrugged her shoulders.

“Doesn’t have to be a date. Perhaps…a thank you for saving me from a bad situation.”

He seemed to mull it over in his mind for awhile and Belle had to admit that t made her feel nervous. It was a stupid thing to suggest. He had already gotten a bloody nose defending her honor, he probably just wanted to be through with it and she was leaving in a week anyways, so why would she want to get closer to someone she would never see again?

“I mean… you d-don’t have to. I just wanted to do something kind for you in return and—”

“Yes.” he finally answered without hesitation.

“Yes?”

“Yeah. That would be nice I think. As long as we go out somewhere. Sad to say but I’m a shite cook,” he confided, making Belle laugh.

“Of course, um, do you have a cell phone? We can work out some of the details later…”

He nodded and pulled out his phone, an old flip phone that made Belle smile. They exchanged numbers quickly and Belle was struck by her nervousness again.

“Well, my friend Ruby is probably worried about me and if I don’t get back there soon then she will probably come hunt me down,” she smiled and Lachlan offered her one back. “But I will text you tomorrow and we can find somewhere for lunch or dinner, or whatever works best for you.”

“Belle,” he said, stopping her rambling. “I look forward to it.”

Belle smiled at him. “Goodnight, Lachlan,” she replied, loving how the sound of his name rolled off of her tongue. Turning around, she only looked back once as she made her way back towards the pub and Lachlan waved back at her before going his own way.

She sighed. It was typical of her. One week left in Scotland and she finally found someone seemingly nice to spend time with. Then again, it could be the most awkward dinner in the world and he could turn out to be very boring. They would share polite conversation, a nice meal and then go their separate ways without another thought.

But then again…

Perhaps Ruby was right. She should be enjoying the little time left in Scotland that she had.


End file.
